Jamaican inventions and discoveries are items, processes, ideas, techniques or discoveries which owe their existence either partially or entirely to a person born in Jamaica, or to a citizen of Jamaica or to a person born abroad of Jamaican heritage.
Construction of the largest ever synthetic hetero-oligosaccharide without the use of automated methods, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.[5][6]
Isolation of dibenzyl trisulphide (DTS) from the guinea hen weed and identification of anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on a wide range of cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.[7][8]
Identification of DTS derivatives (e.g. DTS-albumin complexes) for providing anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on a wide range of cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.[8]
Development of methods of isolating and/or providing DTS and/or its derivatives in an effective amount for providing an anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.[8]
Isolation of chemical compounds from the ball moss plant and identification of anti-cancer activity, by Henry Lowe.[9]
Methods and apparatus for managing mobile content, co-invented by John Henry Thompson.[13][14]
Walt W. Braithwaite led the development of CAD/CAM systems at Boeing, enabling airplanes to be designed and manufactured digitally. He also made a significant contribution to the development of the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES). Braithwaite's common data format and translators from Boeing were used as the basis for developing the IGES protocol.[15][16]
IBM Master Inventor, Tyrone W A Grandison, holds over 47 patents. He has co-invented product initiatives in RFID data management, privacy-preserving mobile data management, private social network analysis, text analytics and healthcare management systems.[17][18][19]
Kwashiorkor, discovered by Cicely Williams. She was the first to recognize and conduct research on kwashiorkor and differentiate it from other dietary deficiencies. Williams also developed a treatment regime to combat the disease.[30]
Canasol, developed by Manley West and Albert Lockhart. Canasol reduces the fluid pressure within the eye that is present in late-stage glaucoma.[33]
Asmasol, a treatment for bronchial asthma, coughs and colds, by West and Lockhart.[33]
The JaipurKnee, co-designed by Joel Sadler. Time listed the Jaipur Knee as one of the best inventions of 2009.[34] The JaipurKnee has since been exported to many countries.[35][36]
The (Ramphal) Cardiac Surgery Simulator, by Dr Paul Ramphal and Dr Daniel Coore.[37][38] The model is used in the training of many cardiothoracic surgery residents in the United States.[39]
Alpha Prostate, a supplement used in the management of prostate health, by Henry Lowe.[9]
Barley Abrasion Process, invented by Sir Geoff Palmer. A patented technique that speeds up the production of malt from grain and which is used by the British brewing industry.[40][41]
Invention of a system and method for portable nondestructive examination with realtime three-dimensional tomography. Robert Rashford co-created the world's first portable 3D non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system. The NDE system detects flaws in materials used to construct aircraft, spacecraft and industrial pipelines without having to take these materials apart. The system was used in the maintenance of the United States Government's Hubble Space Telescope.[59]
Protective enclosure for use transporting orbital replacement units (orus) within a space craft, invented by Robert Rashford.[60]
Single-person spacecraft, co-invented by Robert Rashford.[61]
Enclosure for spaceflight hardware, co-invented by Robert Rashford.[62]
Robert Rashford also designed and developed unique spacecraft support systems for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Airborne Support Equipment (UASE) at the Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). At General Electric, he designed and tested a variety of spacecraft for both commercial and military applications. At Bechtel Corporation, he designed a nuclear reactor support structure. He has designed numerous highly complex engineering systems that successfully flew on board NASA's Manned Space Flight Programs.[63][64]
Identification of more than 3 million genetic variants that had not been previously observed, which could contribute to making genetic tests more accurate for people with African ancestry, Neil Hanchard and team.
Invention of a connector system, by Glen McFarlane.[66][67][68]
Invention of the Compact Design H2 Energy Storage and Generation system.[69]
^US plant patent PP26408, McGhie, Errol Anthony, "Ginger plant named ‘McghieJCG’", published 2016-02-09, assigned to Zon International Holdings US Inc.